“A Sense of Justice”: the Essential Narrative Pleasure

Have you ever asked yourself what is the core narrative pleasure? What is it that a story— no matter its genre, no matter how its protagonist is built—should deliver to be truly satisfying? In other words, what is the mandatory emotional task of a story? The one that, should the screenwriter fail to provide it, would lessen all the other pleasurable but less important emotions he has been able to arouse, depriving them of depth, of a strong emotional ground?

My answer to this question is: a sense of justice.

A character’s effort to fulfill his arc should receive a reward, i.e., a recognition, a praise. Something positive, if he truly strived throughout the plot. Something negative, however, if he was lazy or resistant to improve, or even self-destructive. A sense of justice consists in feeling both the desire for all this to happen and satisfaction when it finally does happen at the end of the film.

When a just reward for a character doesn’t come, it should be clear why. (For example, because it logically follows a philosophical position of the writer—”life makes no sense,” as in Woody Allen’s Match Point.)

Let’s test this to see if I am correct (spoilers follow).

Take out Robert the Bruce’s conversion at the end of Braveheart—a tribute to William Wallace’s sacrifice—and see if the movie still works. Nope.

Watch The Dark Knight and take out the final speech by Lieutenant Gordon. Batman wouldn’t receive the praise he deserved, and the audience would feel frustrated.

Try this too with The Emperors Club. Imagine, at the end of the film, Professor Hundert’s former student, who once was unjustly penalized by the teacher. What if he, now an adult, didn’t entrust Professor Hundert with his young son’s education? The feeling would be of a movie that didn’t reach its goal, because the effort made by the teacher—the protagonist—to redress his wrong wouldn’t get a deserved payoff.

Last test. Watch Hacksaw Ridge. While watching, stop the DVD at the end of Act II and ask yourself: What am I longing for now? For the battle to be won? For the protagonist, Desmond Doss, to be saved? Or for him to be recognized by all his fellow soldiers as the hero he is, for his incredible, humble, silent effort in saving human lives?

I bet the correct answer is the third one.

The audience’s “sense of justice” is their need for a fully developed moral of the story. It’s a key issue. To learn more, have a look at this insightful article by Armando Fumagalli.